Few things capture summer nostalgia quite like a perfectly made ice cream soda. There’s real magic in watching creamy ice cream melt into fizzy carbonated water, building a frothy, foamy head that rises right over the rim of a tall glass. It’s the kind of treat that takes you straight back to the old soda fountain counter. In this guide we’ll cover where the ice cream soda came from, how it differs from a root beer float, and four ways to make one at home, starting with our signature version sweetened with Eastern Shore honey. Grab a long spoon and a tall glass. Let’s dive in.
What Is an Ice Cream Soda?
An ice cream soda is a classic American dessert beverage made by combining ice cream with flavored syrup and carbonated water. The carbonation hits the cold ice cream and foams up into that signature creamy head, which is the whole appeal. Whether you grew up ordering them at a soda fountain counter or you’re trying one for the first time, this guide walks you through everything you need to make a great ice cream soda at home, including our honey version.
Try your ice cream soda with different types of honey for a new flavor profile every time.
The History of the Ice Cream Soda
The ice cream soda traces back to 1874, when Robert Green was working a soda fountain at the Franklin Institute’s semicentennial celebration in Philadelphia. As the story goes, he ran out of the sweet cream he was using for his flavored sodas and reached for vanilla ice cream from a neighboring vendor instead. The combination was an instant hit, and soda fountains across the country were soon serving their own versions.
Through the early twentieth century, the soda fountain became a genuine social hub. These were community gathering spots as much as places to grab a cold drink, and the servers behind the counter, known as soda jerks, built a reputation for the showmanship they brought to building an elaborate ice cream soda piled high with whipped cream and garnishes.
Ice Cream Soda vs. Root Beer Float
People often use the two terms interchangeably, but a classic ice cream soda and a root beer float are not quite the same drink:
- A classic ice cream soda usually starts with flavored syrup, often chocolate syrup, stirred with a little milk and seltzer water, then topped with ice cream, usually vanilla, and more seltzer.
- A root beer float is more specific: it’s simply root beer poured over vanilla ice cream, with no syrup or milk base.
Both are worth making. Knowing the difference just helps you decide which one you’re in the mood for.
Love a sweet treat? Try our Honey Lollipops.
Our Signature Honey Ice Cream Soda Recipe
This is our take on the classic, and it’s the reason this post exists. Instead of a flavored syrup, we build the base with a quick honey syrup made from our Eastern Shore honey and warm water. The honey gives the soda a rounder, more floral sweetness than corn syrup, and it pairs beautifully with a scoop of honey ice cream.
Ingredients
- Bee Inspired honey
- Warm water
- Honey ice cream
- Carbonated soda water, unflavored
- Fresh lavender sprigs, for garnish
Instructions
Start with a tall, empty soda glass. Make a honey syrup by stirring together equal parts honey and warm water, then pour it into the bottom of the glass. Add about two inches of unflavored carbonated soda water and stir to combine the syrup with the bubbles. Drop in a few scoops of honey ice cream. Top off the glass with more soda water, pouring slowly, until the glass is full and the foam rises above the rim. Garnish with a sprig of fresh lavender and serve right away with a long spoon.
The trick to a great honey ice cream soda is to serve it the moment it’s built, while the ice cream is still firm and the soda is still lively. That combination of floral honey, cold ice cream, and fizzy soda water is exactly what makes this one a favorite.
We love this one made with our homemade honey blueberry ice cream.
Traditional Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Soda
If you’d rather go straight for the soda fountain classic, here’s the traditional chocolate version.
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Club soda or seltzer water, about 1 cup
- 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream, for topping
- Maraschino cherry, for garnish
Equipment
- Tall soda glass
- Long spoon
Instructions
- Pour the chocolate syrup into the bottom of a tall soda glass.
- Add the milk and stir with a long spoon to combine.
- Pour in about two inches of club soda or seltzer water and stir gently to create a frothy mixture.
- Add one scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Slowly pour in more seltzer until the glass is about three-quarters full.
- Top with a second scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Add a final splash of seltzer to build a foamy top.
- Finish with a generous dollop of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.
- Serve right away with a long spoon and a straw.
The Egg Cream: A Close Cousin
The egg cream isn’t technically an ice cream soda, since it contains no ice cream at all, but it’s a related soda fountain drink worth knowing. Despite the name, it has neither eggs nor cream in it.
Classic New York Egg Cream
- 1/3 cup cold milk
- 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
- Seltzer water
Pour the milk into a tall glass, add the chocolate syrup, and stir vigorously with a long spoon. Gradually add seltzer while stirring until the glass is nearly full and a frothy head forms on top. The vigorous stirring is the whole secret to that signature foam.
Make a batch of honey caramel sauce to drizzle on top.
Tips for the Perfect Ice Cream Soda
- Chill everything first. Cold milk, cold seltzer, and firm ice cream give you the best texture and the biggest foam.
- Use ice cream you love. It’s the star of the glass, so pick a flavor and quality you’re excited about.
- Reach for a tall glass. A classic tall soda glass looks the part and gives you room to layer everything without overflowing.
- Pour slowly. Add the soda water down the side of the glass to keep the foam under control.
- Keep a long spoon handy. You’ll want one for both building and eating your soda.
- Serve immediately. An ice cream soda is at its best the second it’s made, while the ice cream is firm and the soda is fizzy.
Chocolate Lovers’ Ice Cream Soda
For anyone who wants to lean all the way into chocolate, this version doubles down.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup, plus extra for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Seltzer water
- 2 scoops chocolate ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate shavings, for garnish
Instructions
- Drizzle a little chocolate syrup inside the glass in a decorative pattern.
- Add 3 tablespoons of chocolate syrup to the bottom of the glass.
- Add the milk and stir with a long spoon to combine.
- Pour in about two inches of seltzer and mix gently.
- Add one scoop of chocolate ice cream.
- Pour in more seltzer until the glass is about three-quarters full.
- Add the second scoop of ice cream.
- Top with a final splash of seltzer.
- Finish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, then serve right away.
If you love chocolate, you’ll want our Haute Cocoa Body Butter, too.
How to Set Up an Ice Cream Soda Bar
Hosting a party? An ice cream soda bar is an easy way to let guests build their own. Put out a few syrups, including chocolate syrup, fruit syrups, and our Bee Inspired honey for a honey syrup option, along with a couple of ice cream flavors, milk, plenty of club soda or seltzer, whipped cream, and toppings like sprinkles, chopped nuts, and fresh fruit. Set out some root beer for the float fans, too. Add tall glasses and long spoons, and let everyone build their own ice cream soda.
Our honey candied nuts make an excellent topping.
Why the Ice Cream Soda Endures
In an age of elaborate, fussed-over desserts, the humble ice cream soda still wins people over with a simple balance of creamy, sweet, and fizzy. Our honey version leans into that simplicity while giving the classic a floral, honey-forward twist.
Maybe it’s the nostalgia for the old soda fountain, or maybe it’s just that ice cream and bubbles are a hard combination to beat. Either way, the ice cream soda has earned its place as a small piece of American culinary history that’s worth keeping alive.
So grab a long spoon, stir up some honey syrup with seltzer, or go the chocolate syrup and milk route, add your favorite ice cream, finish with whipped cream if you like, and take a sip. Just remember to serve it right away and enjoy every fizzy, creamy moment.
FAQs About Ice Cream Sodas
What is the difference between an ice cream soda and a float?
An ice cream soda is typically built from flavored syrup, a splash of milk, and carbonated water, then topped with ice cream. A float usually skips the syrup and milk and is simply ice cream dropped into a soft drink, like a root beer float, which is root beer poured over vanilla ice cream.
What kind of soda water should I use for an ice cream soda?
Plain unflavored carbonated water, such as club soda or seltzer, works best because it lets the syrup and ice cream flavors come through. The carbonation is what reacts with the cold ice cream to create the foamy head.
How do I keep my ice cream soda from overflowing?
Pour the carbonated water slowly down the side of the glass rather than straight onto the ice cream, and add it in stages. This keeps the foam from rising too fast and spilling over the rim.
Can I make an ice cream soda with honey instead of syrup?
Yes. Stir together equal parts honey and warm water to make a quick honey syrup, then use it in place of the flavored syrup. Honey gives the soda a rounder, more floral sweetness and pairs especially well with honey or vanilla ice cream.
Why is it called an egg cream when it has no egg?
The egg cream contains neither egg nor cream. It is made from cold milk, chocolate syrup, and seltzer stirred vigorously into a frothy drink. The name most likely comes from the rich, foamy top that the stirring creates.
